Continued education is a necessity for success in our constantly evolving industry. Changing consumer behaviors, blink-of-an-eye speed of information, and Star Trek technologies becoming a reality are just a few of the factors impacting the life-cycle of a vehicle and the automotive ecosystem as a whole.

So how do successful industry professionals — from CEOs to entrepreneurs — keep up with the evolution and prepare for revolutions?

The simple and short answer: they subscribe to a daily industry news digest (I recommend Auto Remarketing and SubPrime Auto Finance News) and they attend conferences that provide them with face-to-face learning and networking opportunities.

Ask Google about the benefits of attending an industry-specific event and the top search results will all list learning, networking, connecting and sharing — sometimes in that exact order. Providing these four essential benefits lay the foundation of planning and producing Used Car Week.

What sets Used Car Week apart is prioritizing the in-person experience of attending an industry conference. And in my biased opinion, the best part about attending any industry event is the in-person experience of getting real-time answers to questions, establishing new business connections, and catching up with friends.

Used Car Week is more than a conference — it’s a community. To some, it’s an annual reunion with friends and family. To rookies of the business, it’s an introduction to the industry and its key players. To thought leaders, it’s a forum to share their latest research and proven solutions for success.

To our team, Used Car Week is a chance to bring together the brightest, most dedicated, and motivated people to advance, educate and connect the used-car industry. And our community knows how to have fun! You can see the evidence of people having a certified good time by looking through the Used Car Week Flickr photostream.

If you’ve attended Used Car Week in the past, what would you list as the top three benefits of attending the event? How would you describe it to an interested colleague or friend?

If you’re considering Used Car Week for the first time, what has piqued your interest? What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I hope we’ll have a chance to connect in-person while on-site Used Car Week 2017 which takes place Nov. 13 – 17 at the gorgeous La Quinta Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, Calif. Save today with early bird registration discounts.

Oh, and did I mention this year’s location features 41 pools and sits at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains? Yep.